It is widely believed that scheduled activities should be integrated into children’s time outside of school such as art and music classes and sports, while others argue that free time is essential for children to unwind and play. Although acknowledging certain benefits in terms of critical thinking skills and physical strength, I am convinced that children should be allowed to play and relax by themselves rather than participating in these scheduled activities.
Admittedly, proponents of the integration of organized classes suppose that these scheduled activities can develop children’s critical thinking skills and improve their physical strength. First and foremost, the engagement in art and music classes can significantly boost children’s creativity and concentration, as listening to music allows students to focus better while art enables them to express their emotions through paintings. In addition, sports can help students develop teamwork skills and their physical well-being by requiring students to cooperate with their teammates and build their physical endurance. For example, children who frequently participate in creative and physical activities often gain valuable insights and stay physically active, thereby reducing the likelihood of suffering from chronic fatigue and physical injuries. However, these consequences may come at the expense of children’s sufficient time for free play and relaxation rather than organized classes.
I am convinced that the above advantages are overshadowed by benefits of free play. This is primarily because free play allows students to relax and recover after long school hours as children spent most of their time sitting in classrooms and absorbing new knowledge so their mind should take a genuine rest before returning to their studies on the next day. Moreover, unstructed play help children build social skills in a natural way. When adults do not organize games, children have to communicate and resolve minor conflicts by themselves, which is not taught in formal classes. For instance, children who are allowed to play freely and comfortably often gain valuable social skills such as problem-solving skills and cooperation, which are essential for their horizontal well-being.
In conclusion, while scheduled activities develop children’s potential skills, free play allows them t grow naturally and gain valuable social skills. Personally, I firmly believed that organized classes should not be integrated into children’s outside time after formal classes in order to ensure the natural and horizontal development.